(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to consumer health information systems. More particularly, the invention relates to means and methods of assisting individuals and communities to evaluate and change health and social conditions.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Various generations of consumer health information (CHI) systems are known in the related art. The first generation of CHI systems was designed to disseminate medical and health information to the public at large. These systems comprised a one-way transmission of medical information, wherein the transmitted information was intended to encourage members of the pubic to take additional steps to solve their perceived problem. This initial CHI systems envisioned consumers having a continued dependence upon health care professionals and health care institutions. The first generation of CHI systems is sometimes labeled “Information and Referral”.
The second generation of CHI systems added means for consumers to access and drill down upon larger amounts of relatively static health information. Presenting a selection of health videos on demand is an example of the second generation which is sometimes labeled “Mediated Health Information Systems”.
The third generation of CHI systems is sometimes labeled “Personal Health Informational Systems” and comprises electronic health information and decision support assistance. This generation captures and tracks health records for individual consumers and provides customized information for each consumer.
Unfortunately, the related art fails to address the larger issue of providing information regarding specific communities or geographic locations. There is a failure in the known art to consider means of guiding health improvement on a community wide basis. The related art fails to provide or suggest calls to action for areas of interest being examined by a consumer.
The related art comprises a diffuse collection of information that is unintentionally hidden within organizational data collection centers or informational silos. The related art fails to address the needs of small communities to access national data while at the same time providing means for the input and examination of community based data. The related art fails to provide communities the means of understanding and interpreting health and social information in a way that leads to positive changes in behavior and social conditions.